Patent · US Expired

Interferometer using transverse deviation of test beam

US4436424A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 27, 1981
Grant dateMar 13, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 27, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01D5/266
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A laser interferometer 10 uses light divided into reference beam 14 and test beam 15 traveling different paths from which beams 14 and 15 are reflected and recombined for detecting interference fringes. The path for test beam 15 is arranged to change in length with deviation transverse to its path. To do this, a reflective diffraction grating 25 is inclined relative to test beam 15 at the autocollimation angle of the grating to reflect the test beam back on itself from the inclined surface of the grating. Then transverse deviation of the region where test beam 15 is incident on grating 25 changes the path length of the test beam reflected from the inclined surface of the grating and allows a measurement.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.